Portland, Oregon

Portland is Oregon’s largest city and the county seat of Multnomah County. Located amidst the natural splendor of the Pacific Northwest, the City of Roses had a population of just under 620,000 as of 2014. Only twenty-seven cities in the United States are larger than Rip City (Go Blazers!)

Named after the Isle of Portland (and the city in Maine bearing the same name), people began settling in Portland in the 1830s. Originally rife with corruption and organized crime, Portland soon became known for its booming timber industry. Beginning in the 1960s, Portland began to earn its reputation as a liberal utopia, fostering cultural inclusiveness and an almost subversive political ideology.

Indeed, Portland is exceptionally progressive, boasting one of the most impressive public transportation systems in America and over 10,000 acres of public parks. Known for its temperate climate — Portland enjoys sunny, dry summers and mild, rainy winters — the city is frequently cited as one of the most popular places to live in America.

Due to its emergence as a counterculture mecca and an increased presence in American pop culture (Portlandia, anyone?) — not to mention the technology boom that began in the 1990s with companies like Intel — Portland attracts more college-educated young adults each year than almost every other American city. Indeed, Portland’s per capita GDP grew more than 50% between 2001 and 2012, more than any other city in the nation.

Portland is home to numerous prominent bridges, including Hawthorne Bridge, Steel Bridge, Broadway Bridge, Fremont Bridge, Ross Island Bridge and, as of 2015, Tilikum Crossing, the first bridge in the United States to be used solely by pedestrians, bicyclists and public transportation. The city is also divided into five distinct neighborhoods: Southwest Portland, Southeast Portland, Northwest Portland, Northeast Portland (where Reading Results’ office is located) and North Portland.

Portland has a rich musical history, serving as the birthplace of artists such as Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Dandy Warhols, Everclear, Pink Martini, Sleater-Kinney, The Shins, The Decemberists, Elliott Smith and Esperanza Spalding. Portland is also considered to be the karaoke capital of America. Portland is also home to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), the OMNIMAX Dome Theater, The Portland Art Museum and the Portland Children’s Museum.

Portland offers more than 600 food carts throughout the city, and with 58 active breweries within its limits, Portland has more microbreweries than any other city in America. Notable brewers include Widmer Brothers, BridgePort, Hair of the Dog and Hopworks Urban Brewery, among many others.

Reading Results is a nonprofit that partners with schools serving low-income students to provide a proven reading intervention program in the Portland, Oregon metro area. Working through our equity lens, Reading Results is committed to helping struggling learners get on the path toward academic success and a brighter future.